DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 21/00310/B Applicant: Miss Natalie Hutchesson Proposal: Creation of new door and window in side elevation Site Address: 6 Parliament Square Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1AH Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 29.07.2021 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. Notwithstanding the details provided within the application, no permission has been given for the flue as shown in the drawings dated 1st April 2021 and 22nd June 2021. Reason: In the interests of the visual amenities of the area.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 1st April 2021:

• o Site Location Plan
• o Existing and Proposed Floor Plans - 02
• o Existing and Proposed Floor Plans - 03
• o Block Plan - 04

This decision also relates to the drawing received on the 22nd June 2021 which confirmed the window style, opening and size. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

It is considered that the following Government Department should be afforded Interested Person Status as they have raised material consideration in their representations in accordance with Article 4(2):

DOI Flood Risk Management Division _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is within the curtilage of 6 Parliament Street which is an end of row of single story shops situated to the East of the Parliament Street, Parliament Square, Lezayre Road cross roads. - 1.2 During the officer's site visit, it could be seen that works had already been put in place for the installation of the proposed door. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The application seeks approval for the removal and blocking up of the two existing windows to the South elevation and the installation of a window measuring 1.698m by 1.350m, there is also the creation of a doorway to the South elevation measuring 0.91m by 2.28m. - 2.2 The proposed doorway and window are to be made from uPVC. PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 There are no previous planning applications which are considered relevant to the determination of this proposal. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zones as "Mixed Use - Town Centre" on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998, Map 2. The site is not within a Conservation Area nor an area zoned as High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance but is within an area of High River and Tidal/Surface Water.

4.3 When looking at the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, General Policy 2 is the most relevant and states in part, "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
• (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways" REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 The following comments can be seen in full online.

5.2 Highway Services have written in several comments of which the last comment stated, "No windows or doors should open over the public highway which within the Parliament Square abuts the buildings. I cannot verify installation dates of other fire doors. Given the circumstances, cost of replacement, likely infrequency of use, other examples, and in situ, but moveable items, such as bins already cluttering the streetscene, it would be unreasonable to raise opposition to the fire door opening outwards. There is adequate width for passing and this should be retained. Obstruction of the door and it opening fully must be avoided by placing no items in advance of the door. Any planters would require a separate permission from Highway Services to prevent obstruction of the public highway." (21.07.21)

5.3 Ramsey Town Commissioners have considered the application on two points of which the last comments stated, "The Ramsey Town Commissioners wish to withdraw their observation in respect of this proposal." (14.07.21) - 5.4 DOI Flood Risk Management Division have considered the application and state, "No flood risk management interest." (6.05.21) ASSESSMENT

6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - character and appearance (GP2, b,c,g)
• - highway safety (GP2, i)

- 6.2 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

• 6.2.1 The proposed window and doorway are situated to the Southern elevation of the application site, which is directly facing a side street. Whilst the proposed works will be noticed, they would not look out of place due to the surrounding area.
• 6.2.2 The neighbouring property to the South, "Brookdale," has a solid wall facing the proposed door and window as such it is not considered that there are any concerns in relation to impact on the neighbouring property that would justify a refusal.
• 6.3 HIGHWAY SAFETY

• 6.3.1 Highway Services and Ramsey Town Commissioner initially brought up reservations with regards to whether the proposed door was going to open internally or externally. Clarification was sought from the applicants, as this was not shown on the drawings, to which the door had already been installed to open externally.
• 6.3.2 Additional comments were received from Highway Services who state that "Given the circumstances, cost of replacement, likely infrequency of use, other examples, and in situ, but moveable items, such as bins already cluttering the streetscene, it would be unreasonable to raise opposition to the fire door opening outwards."

- 6.4 OTHER MATTERS

• 6.4.1 It is relevant to note that there is a large flue situated to the Southern elevation to which no planning has been awarded as such, whilst it is shown on the drawings no permission is given for the flue under this application and a condition to state this will be attached to this application. CONCLUSION
• 7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and therefore acceptable.

• INTERESTED PERSON STATUS
• 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 29.07.2021 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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